Loading summary
A
Limu Emu and Doug Here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.
B
Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.
A
Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@libertymutual.com Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings vary unwritten by.
B
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates excludes.
A
Massachusetts the holidays mean more travel, more shopping, more time online and more personal info in more places that could expose you more to identity theft. But LifeLock monitors millions of data points per second. If your identity is stolen, our US based restoration specialists will fix it, guaranteed your money back. Don't face drained accounts, fraudulent loans or financial losses alone. Get more holiday fun and less holiday worry with Lifelock. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast terms apply@blinds.com, it's not just about window treatments. It's about you. Your style, your space, your way. Whether you DIY or want the pros to handle it all, you'll have the confidence of knowing it's done right. From free expert design help to our 100% satisfaction guarantee, everything we do is made to fit your life and your windows. Because@blinds.com, the only thing we treat better than Windows is you. Black Friday deals are going on all month long. Save up to 45% off site wide, plus an additional 10% off every order. Right now@blinds.com rules and restrictions apply. With the state of today's economy, it's more important than ever to invest in products that last for years to come. As the seasons shift and get cooler, make sure your closet is stocked with durable layers that stand the test of time. From American Giant American Giant's clothes work harder and are wearable season after season. Their greatest hoodie ever made is made from the highest quality materials that are cut and sewn right here in the United States. So you're investing right back in your local community. Choosing American Giant means taking a stand for American manufacturing and hard working Americans. Something other mega corporations don't care about. From fleece to knit, all in a range of colors for versatile daily wear, American Giant delivers everyday pieces designed for everyday life. Feel the difference of quality Made to last Clothes from American Giant Get 20% off your First Order with code STAPLE20@ameran-giant.com that's 20% off your First Order@american-giant.com with code STAPLE20.
C
Ever notice how ads always pop up at the Worst moments when the killer's identity is about to be revealed during that perfect meditation flow. On Amazon Music, we believe in keeping you in the moment. That's why we've got millions of ad free podcast episodes. So you can stay completely immersed in every story, every reveal, every breath. Download the Amazon Music app and start listening to your favorite podcasts ad free included with Prime.
B
So, Donald Trump, you've been busted by your own party. Yep. The Republicans in the Senate actually working with Democrats, get this on a bipartisan basis on serious foreign affairs issues, uncover that the Trump regime essentially used Google Translate to turn a Russian demand for Ukraine to surrender into an American proposal for Ukraine to surrender to Russia, for Ukraine to give up all of its eastern territory, to completely essentially disarm and to never join NATO. So let me explain to you what went down here. So you had this maga Republican Senator Mike Rounds from South Dakota, he was at this Halifax International Security Forum along with some Democrats as well. And while they were there, they Learned about this 28 point plan, which the Trump regime called a peace plan, but it was terms of surrender to be handed to Zelinsky. It literally looked like it was written in Russian. Just the syntax, the way the words were phrased. It looked like Trump took a Russian plan, ran it through Google Translate and then said, zelinsky, you haven't to Thanksgiving to accept this or else we're not going to provide any support to Ukraine anymore. So Republican Senator Mike Rounds, in a bipartisan fashion with Democrats, then reached out to Marco Rubio, his former Republican colleague in the Senate, who's now the Secretary of State, and started screaming at him, Rubio, what the hell is going on here? This looks like the Russian demand that Ukraine give up essentially all of its eastern territory and disarm.
C
And.
B
And then Rubio was like, oh, no, no, no, no, that was just the Russian proposal. That's not our proposal at all. Rubio told the Republican Senator Mike Rounds that this somehow leaked to the press and it was probably just the fault of the press and that Russia leaked it and that this is not the American proposal. This was purely the Russian proposal. So let me show you what Senator Mike Round says at this Halifax conference yesterday.
C
This.
B
But then I'm going to show you how he smoked out the Trump regime along with Democrats. That actually what seems to have transpired is that the Russians gave the US the proposal, the US translated into English and then sent it to Zelensky and said, this is our proposal, rather than rejecting this thing and saying, what the hell is this? Yes, Donald. Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia. You literally are laundering the Russian plan here. Play this clip first of Senator Rounds. Let's play it.
D
Senator Shaheen mentioned that Secretary Rubio did make a phone call to us this afternoon. I think he made it very clear to us that we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives. It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan. It is a proposal that was received. And as an intermediary, we have made arrangements to share it. And we did not release was leaked. It was not released by our members or our representatives. So as we move through on this thing here, Representative Rubio has made it clear that this is an opportunity to have received it and that it has been utilized and delivered to the Ukrainians and that they will have an opportunity to respond.
B
Okay, so you have Senator Rounds say that, and then you had the State Department, Tommy Piggott, say the following. This is blatantly false, as Secretary Rubio and the entire administration consistently maintain that this plan was authored by the United States with input from both the Russians and the Ukrainians. Ukrainians didn't give any input there. It's terms of surrender. And Ukraine said they had nothing to do with it. They were caught off guard. Democrat and Republican senators and lawmakers were caught off guard. Data was caught off guard. No one knows what the hell is going on with this thing. I'll tell you what we learned happened, though. And this comes from Republicans working with Democrats in the Foreign Affairs Committee to smoke this all out. So then Marco Rubio posted. The peace proposal was authored by the US it is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations. It is based on input from the Russian side, but it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine. Liar. Liar. Rubio is a liar. Let me show you what independent who caucuses with the Democrats and Angus King said at the Halifax Conference after Senator Mike Brown spoke here. Let's play this clip right here.
D
This has been an extraordinary weekend, both because of the sessions that we've had with people from all over the world, but also because of the communication, as was mentioned today, from Secretary Rubio and the leaked 28 point plan, which, according to Secretary Rubio, is not the administration's position. It is essentially the wish list of the Russians that is now being presented to the Europeans and to the Ukrainians. It does provide a guideline to try to narrow the issues between Ukraine and Russia. And the encouraging thing to me is that the administration is not attempting to negotiate this agreement unilaterally, but indeed is in close consultation in the next few days with Ukraine and with our European allies. So I think that's an important development. All of us read that statement yesterday, were alarmed by it. I think that's a fair statement. It turns out that it is sort of a beginning point for negotiations and we'll see where the discussions go from here. Everyone wants this war to end, but we want it to end on a fair and just peace that respects the integrity and the sovereignty of the country of Ukraine and does not reward aggression and also provides adequate security guarantees so that something like what occurred in 2022 does not occur again.
B
So here is some of the original reporting from Barack Ravid. He writes for Axios and he says a senior US Official tells me, as the Trump administration has consistently maintained, this plan was authored by the United States with input from the Russians and Ukrainians. This plan has always been a hopeful start to continue negotiations and eventually the signing of a final peace agreement. Well, it seems that this was concocted in Miami. Reporting from Bloomberg and Reuters and others suggest that you had this guy named Kirill Dimitri of who runs Russia's sovereign wealth fund while he was meeting with Republican Congress members like Anna Paulina Luna and handing them out chocolates with Putin's face on it and books with Putin's face on it. I kid you not. Meeting at the Fina Hotel, a five star resort on Miami beach which is also owned by an oligarch. Dmitriev met also with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. And what is believed to have transpired is that Dimitrio wrote this 28 point plan with Putin, handed it over to Witkoff and Kushner, and then they, it seems, whether it was Wyckoff or Kushner or they gave it to someone, then they handed it to the press and said they this is the US Plan or this is the proposal that we have, which was the Russian plan. There seemed to have been no coordination with the State Department, certainly not no coordination with the Foreign Intelligence Committee in the Senate. And it was put out there. Then Donald Trump, who perhaps hadn't even seen it yet, was like, okay, I like it. It's coming from the Russians. Let's adopt it. That's our plan. So then Trump's like, this is our plan. And, and then J.D. vance is like, this is the plan. J.D. vance endorses it. He goes, any Ukraine, Russian peace plan has to stop the killing while preserving Ukrainian sovereignty, be acceptable to both Russia and Ukraine, maximize the chances the war doesn't restart every criticism of the peace framework the administration working on either misunderstands the framework or misstates some of the critical reality on the ground. So he basically says that's, you know, that's, that's our plan right here. So when Donald Trump was fawning over Mum Donnie in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked about this 28 point plan for surrender. And Trump's like, oh, you're saying Zelinsky doesn't like it? He'll have to like it. So Trump here is endorsing that this is now the Trump plan, but it was the Russian plan. And do you see how this was smoked out by the Republican senator with the Democratic senators? Let me be very clear, on a bipartisan basis. And because they called Rubio, Rubio panics. Rubio says, that's not our plan. That's the, that's the plan of the Russians. Then the senators go out there, call out Rubio, and then Rubio has to go and protect Trump and then act like, oh, no, no, that, that was our plan. That was our plan. The duplicity, the incompetence and the, yes, Russia, Russia, Russia, collusion before our eyes. I mean, here play this clip of Donald Trump from the Oval on Friday.
C
Also about this Ukraine plan. President Zelensky said today that his country would risk either giving up his partner or giving up his dignity. There's been criticism that this deal.
E
You mean he doesn't like it?
C
It's unclear.
E
He was sort of saying he'll have to like it. And if he doesn't like it, then, you know, they should just keep fighting, I guess.
B
You know, the suggestion that you made.
C
Though, was that if he doesn't accept it, that the US Would pull back its support for Ukraine.
E
Well, at some point he's going to have to accept something, you know, he hasn't accepted. You remember, right, in the Oval Office not so long ago, I said, you don't have the cards. Don't forget, I inherited this war. I would have never. This war never would have happened. I inherited this war. And I thought he should have made a deal a year ago, two years ago, the ultimate deal would have been if it never started. That would have been a good deal. That could have been done too, if you had the right president, but you didn't have the right president.
B
And then here's what Donald Trump said when he was wearing this bizarre sweater thing that he was wearing here. And Trump was asked, is this your final offer to Ukraine? And then Trump says he can continue to fight his little heart out. That's what he said he can continue to if he doesn't want to accept this plan. You play this clip.
C
This is your final offer to Ukraine.
E
No, not my. I would like to get the peace. It should have been. It should have happened a long time ago. The Ukraine war with Russia should have never happened. If I were president, it never would have happened. We're trying to get it ended one.
B
Way or the other.
E
We have to get it ended. So I do want to get. Then he can continue to fight his little heart out.
B
And earlier in the week, or I think it was Thursday or Friday, Caroline Levitt, when she held our press conference, she was asked, you're saying this is a good plan. Ukraine hates this plan. Russia hates this plan. Heck, even Nigel Farage, a Putin bootlicker who runs the right wing extremist reform party in the uk, he says that this plan is terrible. Nigel Farage, when Farage says this is too much, that tells you all you need to know. But here's what Caroline Levitt has to say. Play this clip.
C
Go ahead. On Ukraine, you said this is a good plan. So according to our sources, this proposal demands major concessions from Ukraine and doesn't.
E
Demand much from Russia. So was Russia involved in drafting?
C
Your understanding is wrong. Have you read the full plan? You haven't. So if you can give details, you've read reporting from one side of the war. And so, so I want you to understand that the administration has talked equally with both sides. You have seen President Trump engage directly with both President Putin and President Zelensky. Likewise, his national security team has as well. In fact, Special Envoy Witkoff and Secretary Rubio met with some of the Ukrainians just in the past week to discuss this very plan. And so just like you saw with respect to Israel in Gaza, we are hearing out both sides of this one war to understand what can you commit to to end the war. And that's ultimately how we are going to get to an agreeable solution. That's what the president has directed of his team. I know there's a lot of criticism out there and a lot of doubters, but I would just remind you of the historic success that this president and his team accomplished in the Middle East. We believe that is possible with Russia and Ukraine, and we're hoping and working very hard to achieve that.
B
So then we got a strong international statement from uk, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, Poland, Netherlands, Norway, Finland and Spain. And they push back on the Vance Dimitri of Kushner plan. And they say the following. We reiterate that the implementation of elements relating to the European Union and relating to NATO would need the consent of the EU and NATO members, respectively. And it goes on to say, we're clear on the principles that the borders must not be changed by force. We are also concerned by the proposed limitation on Ukraine's armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack. Notably, as Gandalf says right here. Experts were puzzled after noticing that the American peace plan reads like it was drafted in Russian first, then run through Google Translate with every point conveniently align with Moscow's interests. The giveaway is a sentence such as Russia is expected not to invade neighboring countries, a phrasing no English speaker uses unless their brain is running on Russian settings. There's also like a lot of other weird verbiage that again, just looked like it was put through Google Translate right There should also be noted while Donald Trump was doing that, a reporter exposed him as well and brought up the fact that Jair Bolsonaro was arrested in Brazil for trying to escape from Brazil. And at the same time Jair Bolsonaro was trying to escape. We learned that, you guessed it, Donald Trump was on the phone with Bolsonaro and Trump's like, what you told me he was arrested. Huh? What? Here, play this clip.
E
Do you have any comment about Bolsonaro's arrest? So I spoke last night to the gentleman you just referred to and we're going to be meeting, I believe, in the very near future. Sir, are you willing, the president being arrested today?
C
What?
E
Any comment about the former Brazilian president being arrested today? No, I don't know anything about it. Sir, are you willing?
A
Mr. President, are you willing?
E
Is that what happened? Yes, there's a meter. That's too bad. That's too bad. No, I just think it's too bad.
B
Now, lastly, I'll play you Democratic Senator Shaheen. Here's what she had to say as well at that Halifax conference and she was on the call with Rubio along with the Republican senators. So here is what Senator Shaheen had to say. Here, play this clip.
C
Throughout the weekend, I have made it clear that I believe this is a Russian proposal. I hope that tomorrow's negotiations in Geneva focus on a real framework for negotiation that guarantees an outcome that benefits Ukraine rather than Russia. I think any real peace plan needs to be sustainable and backed by Ukraine's government and its people. It should be developed in full consideration and consultation with our allies who are going to help guarantee a ceasefire and any long term peace deal. It should include meaningful security guarantees that assure Ukraine and our allies on the continent that we won't see Russia invade Ukraine again in a few years. And I think the United States Congress, on a bipartisan basis, including here at this forum, if you listen to the members of this delegation, have reiterated our support for Ukraine. We believe it's critical that we maintain intelligence sharing and military assistance should remain in place until a real peace deal is reached.
B
Dmitriev, by the way, the Russian who helped draft this plan with, with Witkoff, goes in response to JD Vance's statement. Very true. Fantasy solutions built on Biden's fake narratives have only prolonged the war and suffering many EU and UK warmongers want to fight. To the last Ukrainian the US Peace framework can stop the Ukraine conflict and restore global security. Blessed be the peacemakers. And again, he's literally talking about his own plan that was laundered through the United States. So you get the steps right here. Right. Dmitriev sent by Putin in Miami, meeting with Republican lawmakers at the Faina five star Hotel. He meets with Kushner and Witkoff. Witkoff is the US Envoy to Russia. He gives the plan in Russia. They translate it into, into English. The press gets their hands on it. Donald Trump then's like, yeah, that's my plan. Vance is like, that's our plan. Caroline Levitt's like, that's our plan. And then it became obvious that this was the Russian plan. So Rubio tries to be like, you know, senators, hey, that's not really our plan. I just want to let you know, I want to give you the heads up. So then the rep, even the Republican senators are pissed and they're like, we spoke to Rubio and Rubio said that that was the Russian plan. So in all, you know, because I, it probably was the Russian plan that then Trump adopted because Trump liked it. Russia, Russia, Russia, yeah. But now the regime saying that is our plan. Cuz it's chaos, it's Putin bootlicking. So then today there's the meeting in Geneva between the United States, the cool, the coalition of the willing, the European allies and others of Ukraine will be meeting in Geneva. And now Witkoff and Rubio are going to be there. And you know, Putin's not going to change what he's asking for. Putin wants to take over Ukraine, it's obvious. And Putin is escalating those attacks on Ukraine each and every day killing more innocent Ukrainians. And so that's where we're at right now. We'll keep you posted. But a, a very Trumpy in turn of events with his Putin bootlegging. Let me know what you think Hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million subscribers and thanks for watching. Hey Midas Mighty. It's been Bretton Jordi and we just want to thank you for being the backbone of this movement. This year tested us more than ever, but together we proved that pro democracy voices don't just compete. We win. We took on the entire MAGA machine, won a Webby for Podcast of the.
C
Year, the Midas Touch Podcast.
A
And you were with us every step of the way.
B
And trust us, what we're working on next is bigger, bolder and built for 2026. Let's keep this momentum going. Spread the word. We are just getting started. Shout out to the Midas Mighty. You're a guy who just wants to look nice. The kind of nice where you might get a nice compliment on the niceness of your nice new outfit. Good thing Men's Wearhouse has everything from polos to jeans and yes, suits. Plus a team to help you find the perfect fit to make sure you look nice nice. Love the way you look Men's Wearhouse.
C
Ordinary Checking Just a place to park your money. Our checking a $300 head start as a member of Oregon State Credit Union, you'll feel the benefits from day one. Open a new checking account, set up direct deposit and we'll add 300 bucks to get you going. Oregon State Credit Union Human to Human banking insured by NCUA equal housing lender $25 minimum balance required. Subject to change terms and conditions did you know you can opt out of winter with VRBO? Save up to $1,500 for booking a month long stay with thousands of sunny homes. Why subject yourself to the cold? Just filter your search by monthly stays and save up to $1,500. Look now@vrbo.com the world is buzzing with AI tools, but instead of making things easier, they've made things overwhelming. There's a better way. Meet Superhuman, the AI productivity suite that gives you superpowers so you can outsmart the work chaos with Grammarly, mail and coda. Working together, you get proactive help across your workflow. No matter how you work, experience AI that meets you right where you are. Unleash your superhuman potential today. Learn more@superhuman.com podcast that's superhuman.com podcast hey.
B
Ryan Reynolds here wishing you a very happy half off holiday because right now Mint Mobile is offering you the gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half price, not half the service. Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price.
C
So that means a half day.
B
Yeah, give it a try at mintmobile.com/switch.
C
Upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow 135 gigabytes of network busy Taxes and fees extra. C Mint Mobile. Com.
In this explosive episode, the Meiselas brothers—Ben, Brett, and Jordy—delve into a major scandal involving Donald Trump, members of his own party, and a so-called "peace plan" for Ukraine that turns out to be a verbatim Russian document. The hosts break down the bipartisan effort to expose the Trump regime's laundering of a Russian surrender proposal as an American initiative, dissecting the timeline, political fallout, and what it reveals about ongoing foreign influence and the Republican party's divisions.
Republican Senator Mike Rounds and others confront Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who originally tries to distance the administration from the plan.
Senator Rounds publicly clarifies at Halifax (06:00):
"It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan. It is a proposal that was received.” — Sen. Mike Rounds [06:00]
The State Department, pressured by lawmaker outrage, then claims, without evidence, that the plan had American, Russian, and Ukrainian input.
Allies including the UK, Germany, France, and Japan formally reject the so-called peace plan as Russian-written and dangerous.
Experts and journalists widely mock the awkward, machine-translated English (“Russia is expected not to invade neighboring countries”) as evidence of its Kremlin origins.
Even right-wing UK politician Nigel Farage calls the plan unacceptable.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen at Halifax (19:40):
"I believe this is a Russian proposal. I hope that tomorrow’s negotiations focus on a real framework…that benefits Ukraine rather than Russia.”
Russian oligarch Kirill Dmitriev brazenly endorses JD Vance’s support for the plan online, confirming its Moscow roots.
“It is essentially the wish list of the Russians that is now being presented to the Europeans and to the Ukrainians...All of us read that statement yesterday, were alarmed by it.”
| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:04 | Discovery and exposure of the "28-point" Russian peace (surrender) plan | | 06:00 | Sen. Mike Rounds explains the document’s origins and tries to clarify US position | | 08:24 | Angus King states alarm at Russian-authored proposal being laundered as US policy | | 10:36 | Reporting on Kirill Dmitriev, Kushner, and the Miami connection to the plan’s authorship | | 13:36 | Donald Trump’s reaction to Zelensky and the US potentially pulling support | | 14:43 | Trump: “He can continue to fight his little heart out.” | | 15:43 | Caroline Leavitt’s denial and defense of the plan | | 16:54 | Joint statement from international allies rejecting the plan | | 19:40 | Sen. Jeanne Shaheen rebuffs the proposal, urging true negotiation for Ukraine’s benefit | | 20:52 | Dmitriev affirms Moscow's endorsement and the laundering of the plan through Team Trump |
This episode delivers a scathing, detailed account of how a Russian surrender plan for Ukraine was adopted, defended, and nearly operationalized by Donald Trump and his circle—only for it to be publicly derailed through bipartisan congressional pushback. The MeidasTouch hosts combine their signature brotherly banter, legal and media insight, and a distinct pro-democracy skepticism to break down one of the most egregious recent examples of foreign policy malpractice and internal party revolt.